Summary The unnamed outboard-motor-powered punt left Tracadie Harbour, Prince Edward Island, to harvest mussels in Tracadie Bay. While returning to port with a full load of mussels, the motor failed. The punt drifted broadside to the waves, shipping water, for about twenty minutes before capsizing. Both occupants were thrown into the water and drowned. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information The mussel harvesting punt is an aluminum, open, flat-bottomed boat. The bow and stern are similar. The punt does not have a double bottom or accommodation, and no seating is provided for those on board. It is powered by a 60 horsepower outboard motor controlled and steered from a station at the bow on the starboard side. The vessel's basic layout is shown in AppendixA. The outboard motor is mounted in a deep well at the centre of the transom. The punt is equipped with a hydraulic articulated hoist on the centreline near the bow. The hoist is powered by a pump driven by a portable gasoline engine mounted at the stern on the port side. The punt is also equipped with a non-automatic electric bilge pump with a capacity of about 1.57 L/s. The punt is not equipped with a radio. In 1998 the vessel was built to the owner's verbal specifications at a local welding shop. No plan was produced. The punt was neither licensed nor registered. The punt is considered a fishing vessel for regulatory purposes. The punt was not required to be inspected by Transport Canada (TC) and had not been inspected. No stability data were prepared, nor were any required by regulation. History of the Voyage On 22 October 1998, at about 0730 Atlantic daylight time, the mussel-harvesting punt left Tracadie Harbour.[2] A few minutes later, the operator and his assistant met with the manager of a local mussel farm in Tracadie Bay and were shown which mussel growing lines to harvest.[3] The operator was instructed to harvest the equivalent of 16 tanks (tote-boxes or totes) of mussels during the day.[4] The mussel farm manager then left and went to another area of the bay. The operator and his assistant harvested a full load of mussel socks. Because the breadth of the mussel punt would not allow two rows of totes side by side in the punt, the operator usually placed three totes in a row on the centreline and the equivalent of another two and a half totes of mussels were stowed in the bottom of the punt in socks. This load resulted in the mussel punt having a freeboard of about 30 cm, which was consistent with the way the punt was routinely operated.[5] At about 0900 the northerly wind picked up and waves gradually increased in size. They reportedly reached a height of 30 to 60 cm. Loading of the punt was finished shortly before 0930. The motor was started and the punt headed toward the dock in Tracadie Harbour. A few minutes later, the outboard motor failed. Two other fishermen saw the punt drifting broad-side to the sea for about twenty minutes. However, since they knew that the motor of the punt had a history of intermittent mechanical problems and over-revving and there was no distress signal displayed, they did not render assistance. The punt eventually capsized and both crew members were thrown into the water. Each was wearing heavy rubber pants, a jacket and boots. Neither was wearing a life jacket or flotation device, and there were none on board. When the other fishermen noticed that the punt had capsized, they headed towards it. They were on-scene within a few minutes but did not see survivors. At 0951, Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax was notified and a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched from Charlottetown. The helicopter was on-scene and searching the area some 25 minutes later. The helicopter did not locate survivors. At about 1313 the same day, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) divers recovered the bodies of the two crew members. The cause of death was determined by autopsy to be asphyxia due to drowning. The punt was recovered the following day. The outboard motor was in the raised position. Certification, Training and Experience The operator had been engaged in this industry for about two years and had owned the punt for approximately five months. Neither of the victims had, or was required to have, a certificate of competency to operate the vessel. They had no formal marine training, had not attended a marine safety course, and were not obliged to have undertaken any such training.